Enchanted
by ghfann5
Summary: The prestigious Quartermaine family is hosting a fundraising ball and have invited the esteemed citizens of New York. What is expected to be an ordinary night is filled with discoveries of new and old loves. AU. Couples : Jason & Sam, Michael & Starr, Patrick & Robin, Kristina & Ethan, Kate & Sonny, Nikolas & BrookLynn, Dante & Lulu, Alexis & Mac, Johnny & Delores, Lucky & Maxie
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Same Old Tired Lonely Place**

_There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles. Same old tired, lonely place..._

Jason Quartermaine sighed as he looked around the crowded ballroom. If he could be anywhere else right now, he would be.

He hated his family's annual 'look how much money I have' galas. Each year they invited the _who's who_ of all of New York to some extravagant location under the guise of raising funds for one charity or another. Most of the people he'd known all of his life, and didn't exactly care to be around. Not all rich people were stuck-up; he knew this for a fact. He knew that he could be arrogant sometimes; what surgeon wasn't? But he never really liked to throw around his family's money—or name for that matter—for as long as he could remember. Even his cocky little brother AJ had moments of sincere humility. Still, he was able to schmooze with the best of them. Their sister Emily definitely didn't much care for the ostentatious events either, but the happy woman was even better at putting on a game face than he was.

His parents, aunt, and especially his grandfather constantly expected them all to present themselves to society as better than the best. On paper, they were pretty hard to beat: Jason, like his parents, was a doctor, a spinal surgeon, in fact; Emily was a renowned pediatrician; AJ followed after his grandfather and took over as CEO of ELQ Industries, and his son Michael was a junior executive there. They even had a superstar in the family with his cousin BrookLynn. They were an impressive bunch. It was a wonder how all of them weren't heartless snobs with the family and society they had grown up in.

From his post at the bar, he could see his aunt Tracy start to make her way to him, 'lecture' written all over her face. Jason uncouthly downed the rest of his scotch and sat the glass back down before he averted his aunt's gaze and walked away. He would have to pay for that later.

"Jase!"

Jason ignored the voice behind him, not wanting to stop to talk to anyone. "Dude, I know you hear me," the voice called again. He stopped when he heard her.

_Well I'll be damned._ He turned around to face his accuser.

"Robin? What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"That is no way to greet your best friend. Get over here."

As she said it, she closed the distance between them, embracing him fully.

Jason lifted his friend and spun her around. He set her back down and pulled back to get a good look at her.

"You cut your hair."

"I know," she said. "So did you."

"I can't believe you're here. Why didn't you tell me you were back in town?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. A nice surprise, I hope."

"The best surprise. How was Paris?"

"It was _Paris_, Jason. It was pretty awesome. I found out something pretty big, but I'll tell you about that later. I wish I had my best friend there to hang out with, but it was otherwise perfect."

"Hey, you save lives your way and I'll save them my way."

"Jason!"

The doctors looked to see a tall, dark-haired man coming their way, panting as if he'd been on a high-speed foot chase.

"Patrick," Jason started, "I'd like you to me—"

"I came as soon as I could," Patrick breathed while bent at the waist.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"I was over there dancing with this girl but I looked over here and I just had to rush over when I saw my future wife."

Patrick stood straighter and flashed Robin a killer smirk that she just knew had to be his signature.

"Wow," she said. "I can't believe you just said that."

Jason rolled his eyes. Patrick may have been a friend, but he really didn't want that womanizer hitting on Robin.

"Don't even pretend to be offended," Patrick said.

"Oh, no. I'm not offended at all. I'm quite amused, actually." Robin eyed the man curiously. "I'm Robin," she said as she extended her hand.

"Don't you mean the future Mrs. Patrick Drake?" He took her hand and pulled her closer. "Let's dance."

"Uh..."

Before Robin could object, the suave man had dragged her to the center of the ballroom, twirling her around expertly.

Jason shook his head. Leave it to one of his best friends to take off with his only other best friend, leaving him to fend for himself in a pool of bourgeoisies. He allowed himself to wallow in pity for a moment; the lonely ones were allowed to sometimes.

He continued on his walk to the front of the building, planning to escape this hellish party. Before he could get there, his elbow was clawed by none other than his aunt.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded.

Jason sighed. "I was just going to step out for some air, Aunt Tracy."

"Don't try to fool me Jason. You've never been good at it. Now I know you're not exactly a fan of family gatherings, but you have to stay."

It was sad to him that she considered _this_ a family gathering.

"Fine. I'll stay, just not the whole night."

"Jason—"

"Another hour, at the most. I'm serious, Aunt Tracy. We all have better things we could do with our time."

Tracy knew that her nephew was just as stubborn as she was, and they wouldn't get anything done if they tried to hash out the specifics. She decided to accept his offer.

"Fine. At least look like you're enjoying yourself. You're scaring away any potential future partners." With no goodbye, she left Jason alone.

He knew that by 'partners,' she meant that strictly in the business sense. A sound and mutually beneficial relationship was what she expected of him. Love or even _like_ weren't required in a relationship; just the right last name and career and family approval were the only standards for whomever he decided to marry, _if_ he ever decided to get married. He wanted something more than that, though. Most people would be surprised if they knew that he was waiting for his true love. He dreamed about having an actual family one day, the one he knew he would have. It was hard for him to explain, but he felt like it was just something that he was fated for. So yes, he would wait and dodge more of the awkward stiff blind dates set up by various family members or coworkers until the right time came for him...

"Oh!" came a breathy voice as someone crashed into his side and pulled him out of his reverie. Jason quickly caught the petite woman before she could hit the ground. He held her in a prolonged dip, mesmerized by the beautiful brunette in his arms. Her dark brown eyes were wide in shock as she panted.

"I—sorry," the woman said.

"Don't be," the doctor said smoothly. Slowly, he lifted her to a standing position. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. My cousin and I are just clumsy on the dance floor." She threw a glance to a man with similar dark features who smiled devilishly before turning to conquer the bar.

"Would you like to dance?" Jason asked. Anyone who knew him would know that this was a big deal; he hated to dance.

"Are you sure?" the woman asked. "I'm not exactly the safest dancer."

"That's fine. Besides, something tells me you're not the safest anything, but I'm willing to take that risk."

Without another word, Jason took her hand and gently pulled her even closer. They barely moved their feet; they mainly swayed in place, but it was perfect for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Walls of Insincerity**

_Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy vanished when I saw your face. All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you..._

Samantha Cassadine entered the palace-sized venue with her cousin Nikolas's arm linked with hers. She absolutely hated these kinds of parties. Nikolas was the only one who could keep her sane in moments like these. Everyone who attended these things was fake, including herself. Sam didn't particularly care about saving the endangered species of the month or conversing with those who pretended to. She glanced back at her mother and step-father. They probably weren't the worst offenders at the ball, but they were definitely up there. Most of their life together was a lie. People just came here to show off—or to _be_ shown off, as was the case for her family. Here comes the magnificent Cassadine-Corinthos family, whose power was matched only by the Quartermaines themselves. No one expected less from any of them, especially Samantha and Nikolas.

Sam and Nik, who were more like brother and sister, were finishing up their final years at Yale and Princeton respectively. Alexis constantly bragged about her brilliant daughter and nephew. She herself had to grow up being the best and brightest at everything with parents like Mikkos and Helena Cassadine. Sam was certain that it was Alexis's parents' conditioning that made her strong on paper but completely breakable on the inside. Alexis never stood up for herself when it came to Helena, her sole guardian after her father died. Sam didn't know whether to resent or pity her mother for this. By association, Sam and Nikolas, whose fathers both died before they ever even met them, were also under Helena's thumb. Samantha had no affinity whatsoever for law, and Nikolas could care less about anything business related; he was a poet at heart. And both would kill to be away from Helena. Still, they did as they were told and what was expected of them in order to uphold their family's reputation.

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

Sam looked to her right as her brother Dante took her other arm. He smiled at her charmingly and she rolled her eyes. He knew that being late to anything would piss Helena off, which is usually why he did it. Dante was the exact opposite of Sam and her cousin. He didn't care much what anyone else thought of him. He didn't attend an Ivy League school. He was rebellious. He was happy. Sam knew that if she ever attempted half of the crap Dante pulled, she would be locked up in some cellar. But Dante didn't have to worry about that because Helena and Alexis had no control over him.

As for his father, Sonny Corinthos, he was rarely disciplined by him. Sonny's children, Dante and Kristina, were allowed more clemency because Sonny wouldn't let Helena treat them the way she treated her own blood. He mentioned to Alexis on many occasions that he didn't like how Helena was with Sam and Nikolas, but Alexis insisted that it was for their own good. Sam wished that Alexis would listen to someone other than her mother for once.

"Sorry, bro, but I'm afraid you're _my_ date for the evening." Kristina came into the building behind them, pulling Dante away from Sam.

"Dammit," he muttered jokingly.

"Whatever," Kristina said as he took is correct position. "Trust me, if I was allowed to, I would have an _actual_ date instead of my brother on my arm."

"I think you lucked out, Krissy."

"Whatever," she said again. "And please, could you all stop calling me 'Krissy'?"

"Whatever, Krissy," Sam mocked.

"The usual?" Nikolas asked her.

Sam nodded, referring to their usual routine of fake smiles, ass-kissing, and one dance before finding some reason to ditch.

Nikolas led his cousin to a crowd of older people. Right away, they pinpointed the patriarch of the Quartermaine family, their gracious host. They met Edward Quartermaine in the past at similar functions and, despite the cousins' attitudes about the pretentious society they lived in, they couldn't help but to like the old man. Though he had a reputation for being a ruthless businessperson, he always had a jolly manner about him, especially around people significantly younger than himself.

The game plan was to get reacquainted with Edward who would undoubtedly introduce them to other high-standing members. That should cover the important bases, and then they would dance for show and dash out before dinner was served.

As expected, Edward was delighted to see the Cassadines.

"Nikolas! Samantha, my dear!" Edward commenced with making introductions. "You must get to know these incredible young people," he said to the group crowded around him. "Nikolas and Samantha are cousins—Alexis Corinthos's daughter and nephew—and they are going to change the world."

"Oh, Edward," Sam gushed. "I think you give us too much credit."

"Yes. The world is already full of great lawyers and businessmen. How much can we expect to change by ourselves?" Nikolas asked.

"Don't listen to these two," Edward insisted to his gatherers. "With their money, brains, and looks, they are going to take the world by storm."

Sam had to suppress an eye-roll at his statement. "Edward that certainly is a compliment, coming from someone with a family like yours. How is your family?" she asked politely.

"Oh, fine. Just fine. My grandsons and a few of their children are around here somewhere...Have you met them yet?"

"No, I don't believe we've had the pleasure," Nikolas answered.

"Well my grandson A.J. is away on business, but his son Michael—I think the two of you would have a lot in common, Nikolas. He just began working at ELQ. Bright boy."

"I'm sure he is."

"Yes, well. His aunt and uncle work at a hospital in Port Charles, both following in their parents' footsteps."

Sam couldn't help but think of how cute it was that Edward liked to brag about his family. It wasn't the kind of bragging that others did to prove "my kid is better than yours." Edward just sounded genuinely proud of his offspring.

They talked a bit longer before Nikolas told the group that they were to check in with their family soon. Edward only looked slightly dismayed at their departure, but he bid them farewell, and hoped that they would see him again before they left the party.

"So what's first?" Nikolas asked. "Booze, or dancing?"

"Well, I'm not exactly graceful on the dance floor under my own influence. I think I'll drink after."

"Good idea."

After about a minute on the dance floor, Sam took notice of a blonde-haired man speaking with an older red-headed female. They both looked equally exasperated. The man held most of Sam's attention; he was tall, muscular, and just mesmerizing. She could feel a little goofy smile forming on her face. She wasn't sure why, but she got a little flutter in her heart while looking at him. This never happened to her before; she barely liked people, let alone was attracted to them. Of all the guys she'd casually dated over the years, none had given her this whimsical feeling like this perfect stranger did from a distance.

"What's caught your attention, cuz?" Nikolas asked, bringing Sam out of her trance.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just..."

Nik's gaze followed where he believed Sam was looking, landing on a man who appeared to be annoyed by the woman. It looked familiar to Nik, who'd been on the receiving end of her tilted, chiding head in the form of his aunt Alexis.

"Do you know them?" Sam asked.

"Only by name. I believe that's Mr. Quartermaine's family. That's his business mogul daughter, Tracy, and his doctor grandson Jason."

"Oh." Sam looked back at the two.

"Well someone sees something she likes."

"What?"

"Oh, please. Don't pretend like you don't know what I mean. You can't take your eyes off of that guy."

"No! I was just...looking. I look at a lot of people. It doesn't mean anything."

"Sure it doesn't." Nikolas glanced to the man again and smirked. "You know, you never date. Maybe someone here is actually good enough for you."

"Hey, I date."

"Guys you already know don't stand a chance at getting a second date."

"That's not true."

"Except, it is. And look, Jason's free now."

Sam looked up again and realized for the first time that Nik had been slickly moving them closer and closer to Jason. She saw that the woman he was talking to was walking away.

"Dammit, Nikolas. Please don't make me do this."

"Do what? Something fun for once in your life? Look, I'm not asking you to marry him. But I can tell that you're interested, so...live a little!"

With that, Nik spun Sam in Jason's direction, and watched the sparks fly.

"Oh!" Sam cried out as she bumped into Jason. Her sudden lack of balance nearly made her hit the ground after she bounced off of him. Luckily, he was quick enough to catch her.

For what seemed like forever, he held her and stared into her eyes. She could tell by the twinkle in his that he was entertained by this first impression.

"I—sorry," Sam stammered.

"Don't be," Jason said, his voice sending chills down Sam's spine. Their eyes stayed fixated on each other as he helped her get back on her own two feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. My cousin and I are just clumsy on the dance floor." She looked back at Nik and his stupid smirk, letting him know with her eyes that she would kill him. After Nik walked away, she turned her attention back to the man in front of her.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.

Caught a little off guard, Sam asked, "Are you sure? I'm not exactly the safest dancer." It wasn't a total lie. She'd been required by her mother to take dance lessons throughout her adolescent and teenage years, but she didn't have the natural grace for it.

"Something tells me you're not the safest anything, but I'm willing to take that risk."

Without another word, Jason took her hand and gently pulled her even closer. They barely moved their feet; they mainly swayed in place, but it was perfect for her.

"I'm Sam, by the way."

"Jason. Nice to meet you."

They swayed for a couple of minutes longer, before Jason stopped them.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, would you mind if instead we go somewhere quieter to talk?"

Sam looked back to the direction she thought Nikolas might be. When she couldn't spot him to send him some kind of signal, she turned back to Jason.

He could sense her hesitance right away. "Just out to the patio," he said, and nodded to the double doors that led to a more modest layout. The large stone layout was covered only by a few marble tables with chairs. Sam could see that there seemed to be a couple of other people out there, which relaxed her a bit.

"Sure," she finally answered. He gallantly held out his arm to lead her out there. As they made their way out, they nearly ran into the two people Sam had seen out there.

"Woah!" said the taller brunette. "Watch it, egghead," she said to Jason.

The blonde standing next to her rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she said. "I think what she meant to say was, 'excuse us.'"

"Please, don't apologize for my cousin and her lack of manners," Jason said.

"Sorry, Jase, but we're on a mission here."

"A mission?"

"Less talk, more walk," his cousin said as she made her way past the couple, dragging her friend along. Then she stopped and turned back to them.

"By the way," she said as she looked over Sam and back at Jason. "Good work." She gave him a wink and then continued on her mission.

Sam looked at Jason, who was rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, that was fun," she says.

"Yeah, uh. That was my cousin Brook Lynn and her friend. Sorry about that."

"No, no. It's fine. Wait...Brook Lynn? Like, _Brook Lynn_?"

"Yeah, she's _that_ Brook Lynn."

"Wow. So your cousin's a rock star? That's nice."

Jason looked at her with a strange expression. "Yeah, I guess."

"Sam?" he questioned after a moment of staring.

She faced him and raised her eyebrows.

"I...Who are you?"

Sam thought for a moment. Was this a rhetorical question?

"I don't think I'm sure what you mean. Do you want my life story or something?"

"No, it's just...I don't want to scare you away or anything."

"I don't scare too easily," she said as she took a step closer.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

Sam took in a sharp breath, unprepared for his sentiment. She'd been told many times that she was beautiful, but never before while being looked at the way Jason was looking at her now. She saw honesty, curiosity, and desire in his eyes, heard it in his voice.

"Oh? And are you this bold with all the women you meet?" she asked, attempting to regain her composure.

Jason grinned. "Yes, I am."

Sam's composure may have deflated a bit at that, but she held her ground. "I would have guessed as much."

"And that's the first time I've ever told anyone that."

Once again, Sam's breath hitched. "Really?" she asked in nearly a whisper.

"Well, not exactly."

Sam felt like slapping him and stomping away. This man was driving her crazy, and the smile he wore said that he knew it.

"I think I might have said it to my mom when I was like six."

Well, she couldn't help but chuckle at that. "You're adorable."

Jason scrunched his nose at her assessment of him, but he shrugged and laughed along with her. "That's not exactly the way I wanted your first impression of me to be, but I'll take it."

"Oh, that wasn't my first impression of you."

"No? What was?"

"When I first saw you I thought, 'That is the most attractive man I've ever seen.'"

"Okay. So, you just wanted me for my body."

They both laughed, and Sam playfully slapped his shoulder. Then, she silently chastised herself for the girly-girl move.

"I was, uh, thinking about calling it a night a little early, but you've given me a great reason to stay."

"I know what you mean," Sam said. She thought of Nik probably sitting alone inside. When the time came for them to make their great escape, she decided, he would have to go solo. It would serve him right anyway.

"The way I see it," Jason said, "We both took each other's breath away on sight, we dance great together, and we're both here, right now. That can only mean one thing."

"And that is...?"

"Do you believe in fate, Sam?" he asked as he closed the distance between them.

"Fate?"

Their faces were now not even inches apart, their lips almost touching.

"I think," she said, halted by the feel of their lips lightly brushing. "I think I do."

Jason leaned in to gently kiss her, placing his hands on her small waist while she placed hers behind his neck. For Sam, it was the most mind-blowing kiss she'd ever experienced. It was sweet at first, before it turned more passionate. It wasn't rushed; in fact, it felt like it would last forever.

Unfortunately it did end, but Sam didn't mind too much though, because now she could see Jason's beautiful blue eyes. They both smiled, each aware of the life-altering moment they just shared.

"Yes," Sam said. "Definitely fate."

**_Hello! I figured I could update this story more frequently since it's already almost complete. Expect the next chapter either later today or tomorrow at the latest. Next 2 chapters: Starr & Michael_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Have We Met?**

_Your eyes whispered, 'Have we met?'_

Starr silently made her way through the sea of strangers, trying to find her way to the only person she knew here. As she looked around, it was hard not to be in awe. She'd been to some pretty fancy parties herself, but they had nothing on this... Usually she partied with a younger and more energetic crowd, but she had to admit that this was much more her speed. She could imagine how crazy Brook Lynn must be going with the lack of wall-thumping music present. And without the attention.

Starr met Brook Lynn after they were signed to the same record label. Since Brook was more experienced at being famous, she sort of took the younger girl under her wings. So Starr was famous first by association, and then because of her own musical talents. By now she was used to the over-the-top parties and schmoozing and the fans. It was different here, not being hounded by anyone asking for autographs or speculating about the most ridiculous rumors (the longest-standing being that she and Brook were "more than BFFs"). Here, she wasn't _the_ Starr. She was just plain ole' Starr Manning again.

She searched for Brook while observing the people around her. The word that mostly came to mind was _distinguished_. These were the cream of the crop right here. She doubted American society got any higher than this. She was easily intimidated by everyone around her. That is why she needed to find Brook, and quickly.

"I step away to find the restroom and she disappears," Star muttered.

She decided to check over by the bar; it about the only place she figured Brook might be having a little fun. Once she reached it, she was discouraged to find her friend still missing. "I guess she'll just have to find me."

Starr turned her back to the bar to continue scanning the room in case Brook popped up. She had to admit, being the center of attention had become the norm for her, and it was weird not having people just come up to her and introduce themselves. So she sat alone, not daring to strike up a conversation with anyone around her.

She considered ordering a drink, but she wasn't quite twenty-one yet, and she wasn't sure if she would be carded here. So she lifted her clutch purse to remove her cell phone. She would send Brook another text asking where she was.

After sending her angry text (all caps, a hundred exclamation points), Starr rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. And that's when he caught her eye.

He looked away quickly, and started talking to someone next to him. Starr wasn't one to easily shy away from guys, and this one had her intrigued. He was tall, blonde, and—if the way his suit fit him was any indication—kind of ripped. But he was also familiar.

As she watched him, her brow furrowed, trying to figure out why she felt she knew this man. And either he felt the same about her, or he'd seen her work before, because he kept glancing at her from time to time.

She wasn't sure how long she was staring, but the buzzing from her purse tore away her attention. "Finally," she said as she checked her text message. _Dude where r u?_ it read. Starr rolled her eyes again. She looked back up to the mystery guy. He was watching her again, but this time he held her gaze and smiled at her.

And, wow, that smile. He was handsome before, but Starr now had butterflies in her stomach. The man looked to his right and nodded slightly to whomever he was talking. He then took a few steps in her direction.

Starr's heart rate picked up. Was he coming over to _her_? Of course. He had to be. He was definitely putting out a vibe to her.

"Hey! There you are."

_Sure, now she wants to find me_, Starr thought of her ill-timing best friend. She looked away from her potential knight to glare at her.

"Brook, where the hell have you been?"

"What? I just stepped away for a minute."

"But I asked you to wait for me. Where'd you go anyway?"

"Scouting."

"For...?"

"Guys, of course. But none of the boys here are really my type."

"Tall, dark, handsome, and rich?"

"Well, everybody's rich here. But they're also old, married, and stuffy. All the other guys are either family or douche bags."

"Aw, poor baby."

"Shut up," Brook Lynn laughed.

Starr looked up again to see what was taking _her_ guy so long. When she spotted him, he was stopped in another conversation. She sighed. She was so close to having a little more excitement in her life tonight.

"Holy hotness," Brook exclaimed.

"What?" Starr asked, curious of what caught Brook's interest now. She looked at the entrance, where her friend was gawking.

"Royalty," Brook said in awe. Starr could certainly see why she would say that. These had to be the most glamorous people she'd seen yet tonight. Two young couples entered; both of the dark-haired men had an equally gorgeous woman on their arms. Behind them came an older couple linked at the arms. The man was a striking contrast to the woman he accompanied; the dark haired, olive-toned man with the dimpled smile seemed a lot more charismatic than the paler woman with auburn hair and tight smile. After them came a petite, white-haired woman who held her nose up as she walked in and surveyed the scene.

"Omigod," Brook said as she grabbed Starr's wrist, dragging her away.

Starr tried to look behind her to get one last glimpse at her mystery guy, and there he was. He was standing closer to where she'd just been, smiling after her.

Damn Brook Lynn.

"What is your problem?" she asked as Brook pulled her onto the patio.

"Did you see him?"

"See who? The most gorgeous guy I've ever seen getting smaller and smaller as you forced me away from him? Yeah, I saw him."

"Wait, what? What gorgeous guy?"

"Doesn't matter. Who were you talking about?"

"Nikolas Cassadine," she said dreamily. "He's a prince."

"You know him?"

"Of course. Well, not personally, but I know _of_ him. And tonight, I'm going to make Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Princely mine."

Starr rolled her eyes. Brook was definitely dreaming of a fairytale life for herself. However, she'd never known Brook to not get what she wanted. Girl had some serious dedication.

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"The same way I always do. I'm going to charm him. Now, let's backtrack for a moment. Who's this guy that's got you huffing and puffing?"

Starr grimaced, regretting mentioning anything to her. As much as Brook liked getting what she wanted for herself, she also wanted everyone around her to have what they wanted. She seemed to be twice as adamant to get Starr, who was reserved by Brook Lynn standards, to go after the things she may have secretly desired. She didn't see this time being any different.

"He was just some cute guy. I'm sure he already has a girlfriend."

"That never stopped me."

"Brook!" she admonished.

"I'm joking! Look, point him out to me and I'll get the goods for you, 'kay?"

Brook led her to the glass doors so they could look for him.

"Fine," Starr said reluctantly. She looked to the bar and, sure enough, there he was. "You see that blonde guy at the bar? That's him."

"Omigod. That tall guy there, with the blonde hair and blue eyes?" Starr nodded. "You're kidding me, right?"

Starr looked offended as Brook stared at her open-mouthed. "No. What's that supposed to mean?"

"Starr!" She slapped the girl's shoulder as she said her name. "That's Mikey!"

Starr looked puzzled. Who the hell is Mikey?

"You've met him before. He visited the studio a couple of years ago, remember? That's my little cousin!"

"Superman," Starr whispered as her memory cleared.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing, I...wow. _That's_ Mikey?"

"Yeah, except he prefers 'Michael' now. I can definitely understand why you didn't recognize him, though. He's changed a lot. No more glasses. And I guess he finally figured out what the gym and hair product are for."

"Yeah," Starr agreed as she turned back to look at him. She couldn't get over it. _This_ was her Superman?

"So. I guess you like what you see. Well I happen to know that he does _not_ have a girlfriend. He's free as a bird. And I can put in a good word, if you want."

"Brook..." she warned.

"What? No, it's perfect, see? You'll get your guy, and I'll get mine. C'mon, Starr. Live a little!"

She began to pull Starr once again, before she was halted by her cousin Jason's untimely appearance.

"Woah!" she said. "Watch it, egghead," she said to Jason.

Starr rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she said to Jason and the woman she recognized as having made the royal entrance. "I think what she meant to say was, 'excuse us.'"

"Please, don't apologize for my cousin and her lack of manners," Jason said.

"Sorry, Jase, but we're on a mission here."

"A mission?"

"Less talk, more walk," Brook ordered as she made her way past the couple, dragging her friend along. Then she stopped and turned back to them.

"By the way," she said as she looked over the woman Jason was with and back at her cousin. "Good work." She gave him a wink and then continued on her mission.

"He's got the right idea," she said as they walked. "That's Nikolas's cousin he was with—also royalty, in case you weren't keeping up. Now—omigod."

She stopped them before they reached the bar, squeezing Starr's arm in excitement. "This is totally serendipitous. Look, my prince is here, too."

Starr peered up, intending to look at the man she was talking about, but then someone else caught her attention. Mikey—Michael (it suited him so much better now)—was looking at her with those captivating eyes. He smiled at her again. Her body was reacting faster than she could think; her feet slowly brought her closer to him. She could hear Brook saying something to her, but it didn't register.

Magnetic. Their connection—whatever it was—was that strong. She couldn't stop it if she tried. She felt the smile forming on her face as she remembered their first meeting, and seeing the man before her now. What a difference a year could make.

And then she was in front of him. He looked at her, mouth forming to say something that just wouldn't come out. He was flustered. She found this amusing; everything about him was a reason to be confident, but up close, he was still that kid she met two year ago.

"Superman."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Across the Room**

_Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me..._

Superman. She called him Superman. It was the very first time they met. Michael had gone to L.A. over the summer after his final year of college. He used to be really close to his cousin Brook Lynn, and they made it a point to see each other whenever they could. Fresh from his college graduation, he wanted to get out and have a little fun with his favorite cousin before the corporate world reeled him in for good. He was excited to go to California, even though Brook warned him that she wouldn't be able to spend too much time with him outside of the studio, but he looked forward to just leave home for a while. The last thing he expected was to meet the love of his life.

It was cheesy, maybe even overdramatic, but it was true. And he wasn't a closeted romantic who just made up this whole thing in his head. He knew what he felt was real.

He walked up to the building that Brook had a car bring him to, surprised at how big the place was. No matter how many times he saw his cousin on television or heard her on the radio, he could never get over what a big star she was. He was impressed. He was _proud_. Others in the family (namely Brook's grandmother, Tracy) wished she would have pursued a different—a.k.a. "more respectable"—career, but Michael was her biggest fan.

After being patted down at the entrance, he was once again searched by security when he got inside the building. His name was checked on a computer and he was given a pass and directed to a small set of stairs and a hallway that would lead him to the studio Brook was working in. He walked to the stairs, and that is when his life changed.

A young woman who was reading a notebook was coming down the hallway, not paying attention to where she was going. Michael saw the tragedy in his head before it happened. She was about to keep walking and take a misstep once she got to the stairs. Without thinking, Michael jogged to the stairs and was right on cue to catch her as she tumbled forward.

Then he was frozen, holding this stranger in his arms. She looked up at him in a stunned expression, with the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen, hidden behind a pair of glasses.

"Oh, my goodness! Sorry. Wow, thanks for the save."

"No, I...it's—it's nothing, really," he stammered.

"No, seriously, you just saved my life. If I had broken anything, I would be in so much trouble."

Michael didn't say anything. He nodded his head and stared. She was just so...

She looked down at his arms, which were still around her. "You know, you're a lot stronger than you look, Superman."

He then realized that he was still touching her—clutching her, really—and quickly let go. "Uh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"Mikey!" Brook called from the top of the stairs. "What are you doing out here? The fun's inside."

She made her way down the stairs. "I see you met my buddy, Starr. This is my little cousin, Mikey," she introduced.

Michael cringed. _Little? Mikey?_ She might as well have been introducing Starr to a little kid.

"Oh, so this is the favorite cousin I've heard so much about. Well, I hate to fall and run, but I have an appointment I'm already fifteen minutes late for. It was nice to meet you, Mikey."

"You too," he said, offering her his hand to shake. Starr looked at it like it was a foreign gesture and rolled her eyes. Then she held both of her arms out, ready to embrace him. As she surrounded him, he stood still in shock, letting his arms fall dead to his sides.

"Thanks again, Superman," she whispered in his ear. Then pulled away and turned to Brook. "See you next week, chick?"

"You know it." She gave Starr a kiss on the cheek and waved goodbye as she walked away.

Michael watched after her, her high ponytail bouncing as she walked away. She looked back and smiled, blonde locks falling on her face.

"Mikey? You okay?"

He looked at his cousin. Was he okay? He wasn't sure what had just happened, but he felt a sort of shift in the air. He didn't know how else to describe it. But for the rest of his visit, his thoughts were consumed with her. Her eyes, her hair, her smile, her voice, her scent—lavender and vanilla he later discovered on a feverish search for a similar perfume—were all ingrained in his memory.

When he first met her, he thought maybe it was simply lust, or curiosity; to him, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, and he was just a small-town nerd. But when he met her, even though it was for a brief moment, he felt like this was the one thing he'd always felt he was missing in his life.

Even after returning to Port Charles, though, he thought of her constantly. When he found out that she was an up-and-coming musician, he searched the internet for her music. He downloaded her songs and listened to them repeatedly. If anyone else knew the lengths he went through just to have this virtual stranger in his life.

It was an understatement to say that he was pleasantly surprised to see her at his family's charity ball (hell, it was a surprise to even see Brook there). He watched her pretty much since the moment he saw her there. She remained at Brook's side for the most part, giving him an excuse not to approach her (he wanted to make a lasting impression on Starr; he didn't need his cousin embarrassing him again). So he waited anxiously for an opening. Between Brook zigzagging Starr around the rooms and "family friends" stopping him to check in on his family or his job, those openings were very limited.

When she finally looked at him, he looked away like the awkward teenager he thought he left behind (really, who was he trying to kid? He _was_ that person until a few months ago). He continued taking to one of his colleagues from E.L.Q. about a recent board meeting. Still, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. And it seemed the feeling was mutual. Whenever he looked her way, she was still watching him. Then he saw her roll her eyes at her phone, and look back at him. The adorable small act put a smile on his face. He decided that now was the right time.

He excused himself from the conversation he was in and walked towards her, confident as he held her gaze. But of course, she looked away and at his cousin.

Damn Brook Lynn.

He considered interrupting them anyway, but was once again pulled into a conversation with another coworker. He disliked discussing the stock market as much as any typical young man, but he was particularly desperate to get away and find Starr.

Of course, by the time he weaseled his way out of hearing yet another boring detail and to the bar, she was being pulled away by Brook. She looked back at him with an apologetic look, and he gave a small smile back. He was convinced by now that the universe is trying to send him a message: he and Starr were a no-go.

He decided to nurse a scotch on the rocks (he didn't like alcohol, nor was he old enough to drink, but everyone pretty much gave him whatever he asked for). He took a sip and looked around the room again. Starr was nowhere to be seen. He contemplated going on a search, but then decided that if the fates were kind, they would bring _her_ to him. So, he waited.

He didn't have to wait too long, though, before he was looking into those beautiful eyes again. He saw her stop and look at him. The expression held in her shiny eyes reminded him of someone finally finding something she'd lost long ago. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop the smile that came as lightness overcame him at the sight of her.

She walked closer to him, and it was like something out of a movie, and he would swear she was growing more beautiful every second. And just when it seemed more impossible that she could be any more breathtaking, she smiled at him.

There was so much he wanted to tell her in that moment—that she was more than beautiful, perfect beyond words, just the woman for him—but the words wouldn't come out.

"Superman," she said.

"You remember?" he asked incredulously.

"I remember."

"Wow, I...I guess I just wasn't expecting you to even recognize me."

"I didn't."

Michael looked at her quizzically.

"I didn't recognize you. I noticed you, though. Brook told me who you are, and I remembered that you saved my life a while ago."

"Ah, 'saved your life' might be stretching it a bit."

Starr giggled, and then turned a shade darker in embarrassment at the cute act, he supposed. "Maybe. But you certainly made an impression on me."

"Well, please allow me to replace that impression with a new one. Would you like to dance?"

"_Just_ dance?" she asked with a teasing smirk.

"Yes, _just_ dance. For now."

Michael held out his arm to lead Starr to the dance floor. When she touched his hand, he was certain he felt sparks. He looked at her to see if she'd felt it, too. If her happily stunned face was any indication, she had.

Just a dance, for now, but Michael saw a lifetime of Starr in his future. He didn't want to get ahead of himself, but, looking into her eyes as they danced to a slow song, he couldn't help feeling that she saw the same.

_**Up next, Robin and Patrick**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Passing Notes in Secrecy**

_The playful conversation starts. Counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy..._

Who did he think he was?

Robin had him pegged in one minute as the arrogant, overly-sexed, god complex-having, son of a bitch surgeon that he was.

Sure, he was gorgeous, but he knew that. And he was a good dancer. He knew that too. So he was probably a damn good surgeon, too. But who the hell died and made him the knower of all things Robin?

They were having such a good time at first. She gave him a pass on his outrageously corny pickup line and let him take her for a spin on the dance floor. He was extremely flirtatious, and she flirted back just as hard. Their playful conversation about the kind of house they had to live in once they were married, what their kids would be when they grew up.

But then Patrick asked her on a date. A real, intentionally-meet-at-the-same-place date. She was fine with mindless flirting, but she wasn't interested in a serious relationship—not with _this_ jackass or anyone else.

She tried to let him down easily, telling him honesty but with a laugh, that he didn't want to get too involved with her. It was a friendly warning. But he kept pushing, telling her she didn't know what she was missing out on and insisting that she give him a real chance.

It was cute at first, but annoyance quickly gave way to pissed off when he wouldn't relent.

"Okay, seriously," she told him. "Just stop. There's no way I'm going out with you. So drop it."

And then, as if he had the right, _he_ was mad at _her_!

"I don't get you," he said. "At first you're all over with me and flirting, but when I take a genuine interest in you, you're pushing me away with a ten-foot pole. What gives?"

"What gives is that I just wanted to dance with some cute stranger and for us to leave as strangers. I'm not looking for any kind of commitment or any—"

"Wait a minute, who said anything about a commitment? I just asked for a _date_, not your hand in marriage."

"A date's too much of a commitment for me. And even if I was to go on a date, it sure as hell wouldn't be with you."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm so repulsive. I think I know your angle now, Robin."

"My angle?"

"Yes. You're a tease. You like to reel the guys in and throw them back out before they even get a chance to get close to you. And you enjoy it. You like the attention and stringing people along. You like the power you get from having guys eat out the palm of your hand."

"Excuse me?!"

"Don't even try to deny it. I've met girls like you before."

"And I've met _boys_ like you before. Smart, handsome, playing on the insecurities you imagine whatever woman of the day may have, make her vulnerable and then take advantage of her. You think _I'm_ a tease?! _You're_ the one who likes to string women along, having your way with them before you discard them for the next one. I don't enjoy having anyone in the palm of my hand, so you can shove that lovely description up your ass right alongside your head!"

She broke away from him and stormed off of the ballroom floor. She needed to hide her tears before he could see them. Robin hated that she cried whenever she was angry. It made her seem weak, and she was _not_ weak. She may be small, but she was stronger than any outsider could ever see.

A tease? No, she wasn't a tease. She did keep people, men especially, at a distance. Ever since she was young, she grew attached to people very easily. The last person she let into her heart was taken away from her, and she didn't think she could ever go through that again.

So she took mostly research medical cases where she couldn't get too close to the patients, she limited her friends to those she had since childhood and knew already that she was HIV-Positive, and whatever life she had outside of the laboratory she kept secret from her colleagues. So for the past year and a half since her diagnosis, she didn't date, barely socialized, and was extremely devoted to her job. Today was the first time she'd let her hair down, and that was only at the request (badgering) of her family. And she opened herself up further by accepting Patrick's invitation to dance. But then he ruined it.

She knew that she came off cold to him, but if that was what she needed to keep his advances at bay, then so be it.

"Robin?"

She rolled her eyes and wiped away any remaining tears before she turned around.

"Are you alright?" he asked with that Australian accent, more prominent than her father's. _Their_ father.

She rolled her eyes again. "I'm fine," she answered curtly before walking away again.

She knew she should give Ethan a chance instead of avoiding him at every turn, but it was hard accepting that he was her _brother_. In his defense, it wasn't his fault that Robert had an affair with Ethan's mother, or that he wanted to get to know his family. Robin was sure that he already felt like enough of an outsider being from a different continent and dressed to impress a roomful of strangers. He didn't need his own sister giving him the cold shoulder.

Robin felt bad, she really did, but it was too much for her to handle. And how could she allow her newfound brother into her life completely, let alone Patrick, when she feared for her life every day?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: All I Can Say**

_And it was enchanting to meet you. All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you..._

The future Mrs. Drake was wrong about him.

He didn't set out to piss Robin off, but her reaction was completely overblown. So maybe he was highly miscalculated in using his usual shtick, but he honestly didn't think it would go that badly.

He was arrogant, sure, but he wasn't as much of a player as Robin accused him of being. Okay, he'd had more than his fair share of women, but he was in _actual_ relationships with them, despite their short-term statuses. Still, it didn't give Robin the right to just assume this and that about him.

Even after she berated him and ran away, though, he couldn't help this attraction he had to her. It was probably just sexual, he reasoned with himself—and his ego refusing to accept the rejection. Any sane person would want to stay away from her at this point, but Patrick just wanted more.

He watched her after she left. She stood alone facing a corner with her arms folded, until some guy walked over to her. He was a bit relieved to see that this guy seemed to have the same affect on her that he had. At least he couldn't take it so personally now.

Well, if she thought he was going to just give up that easily, she obviously didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

He followed after her, reaching her just before she could make it through the door to the restroom.

"Robin!" It's weird, he realized, that he called her by her actual name. After she had properly introduced herself, he still refused to call her anything but Mrs. Drake.

It got her attention, though, and she turned around to face him. He was shocked to see that she looked sad now. Anger he could deal with. It looked so adorable on her, he welcomed it. But had he really gotten under her skin that much?

"Robin, look, I'm sorry. I was being an ass, I know. I really didn't mean to...upset you so much."

"Don't, please. _I'm_ sorry. I can be a little defensive sometimes. Like borderline psycho defensive. I just...look, I haven't really dated, or gone out, or had any friends really in a while, so my social skills are a little rusty. I'm flattered that you would _want_ to spend more time with me. But I meant what I said. You and I, it's not a good idea."

Patrick watched Robin closely as she spoke, trying to determine if she was just saying all of this to get rid of him. But he only found sincerity in her eyes. So she really didn't have any of those things she listed? He kind of felt bad for her. It must be a lonely life.

"Don't look at me like that," she demanded, swiftly changing her demeanor from honest to threatening.

"Like what?" Patrick asked.

"Like you pity me. Don't. I live the life I chose to live, and I've been doing it pretty well so far."

"Have you? I mean, you have no social life."

Robin scoffed. Just when she thought they were on the same page...

"I don't _need_ a social life."

"Everybody needs friends."

His words hung in the air for a tense moment. She knew he was right. She had her family, and the few people she'd kept in touch with over the years, but she didn't really have anyone to confide in or to just share her life with.

"I guess," she murmured.

"I have a proposal."

"I thought we let go of this whole marriage thing," she joked flatly.

Patrick chuckled, grateful for the slightly lightened mood. "We didn't, but I'm talking about a different proposal, Drake."

Robin rolled her eyes but allowed him to continue.

"You need a friend, and turns out, so do I. So I say, you and I be friends."

"Friends? With you? Something tells me that you're not the type to be 'just friends' with a woman."

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

Robin looked up at him skeptically. She couldn't deny that he was suave in a way that made saying no to him kind of impossible. But did she want to risk letting this man into her life? He said they would be friends, and nothing more. And she really could use one of those.

"Fine," she conceded. "We're _friends_," she reiterated.

"Promise. So, why don't we start over?"

"Okay. I'm Robin Scorpio."

She held out her hand for him, which he took once again.

"Patrick Drake." He brought her hand to his mouth and ghosted his lips over it. Robin eyed him warily, earning another chuckle from the surgeon.

They were just friends. For now. He was sure that the future Mrs. Drake would be worth the wait. He brought her hand back down.

"It was...nice to meet you."

"How about a dance?" Robin held out her hand for him.

"I'd like that." Patrick accepted her hand and led her back to the dance floor.

The pair swayed easily to the soft tune the band was now playing, their bodies comfortably pressed against each other. Robin lifted her head from Patrick's chest to look at his face, only to find a smug smile playing on his lips.

"What?" she asked.

Patrick looked down at her. "Nothing. It's just...I think you may be the shortest woman I ever danced with."

Robin slapped his chest playfully. "Whatever. And I'm sure that's not true. I just don't happen to be adept at walking in high heels, so what you see is what you get."

"Well I don't mind that at all."

Robin couldn't help but to stare at his stupid charming smile for a moment before rolling her eyes and looking away. As Patrick slowly turned her, she noticed her brother Ethan sitting at the bar with a young woman, who she thought looked more like a kid (then again, Robin herself could probably pass for a teenager). She continued to watch the two of them intensely as they appeared to be flirting.

Patrick noticed her rapt attention on the man at the bar, who he remembered earlier as another one of Robin's spurned acquaintances.

"You know, if you keep staring at that guy like that, I might start to get jealous."

Robin, who didn't even realize how much more attentive she was being to her brother than her dance partner, looked down in embarrassment.

"Sorry. And normal "just friends" don't get jealous," she teased.

"I can be a little jealous that you're with me, but your eyes and mind are on someone else."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he's my brother."

Dr. Drake stepped back to look at her more carefully. "Really?" He looked back to the gentleman at the bar. "Yeah, I can see that."

"You think we look alike?"

"Kind of. You worried about him?"

"Hmm? No. Why?"

"Well, I look at my little brother like that when I'm worried about him or feel bad about something happening to him. What's wrong?"

She looked back over to Ethan, who had an actual genuine smile on his face, only about the second one she's seen from him since they met. She sighed, knowing she had a lot to do with that. She turned back to Patrick.

"Ethan's...I haven't known him long, and I've been the worst sister in the world to him so far. I just...he sort of came out of nowhere, you know? And I wanted him to feel like we were his family, but I guess just throwing him in the middle of things wasn't too helpful. It's hard having an instant brother and most of the time I don't know what to say to him."

"Why don't you tell him that? Maybe he'll get where you're coming from, and he can tell you where he's coming from."

Robin knew the smug doctor was right; she'd said all these things to herself before. "Okay," she said resignedly. "When we get home—"

"No, now."

"What?"

"Robin, as your friend, I am advising you to clear the air sooner than later. Otherwise you might push it off even longer. Besides, something tells me that he'll need cheering up right about now."

Robin frowned, confused. Patrick nodded in Ethan's direction.

"That girl he was with just ran off. He looks pretty shaken up by it. Come on, let's go do this now."

"Wha—you're coming with me?"

"Of course. It's what friends do."

Patrick's smile was a dangerous mixture of genuineness and flirtation, and Robin had to shake her head remind herself that he was to remain in friend territory.

**_Next couple: Kristina and Ethan_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Wonderstruck**

_This night was sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home..._

Kristina sat alone at the bar, bouncing her leg uncontrollably. One thing she, her brother, and their father had in common was their restlessness. If they weren't busy with something, they were bored out of their minds. And Kristina had been abandoned by her date—her _own_ brother—to chat with people more age appropriate than his little sister. In particular, she saw him charming up a couple of blonde girls. On the other side of the bar, Kristina saw Nikolas's equally charming demeanor as he spoke to this gorgeous woman—_holy crap! Is that _Brook Lynn?!

Sam was nowhere in sight, and there was no way she was going to go hang out with her parents or, God forbid, Helena, the Ice Queen herself.

It sucked being the youngest in a family of perfect creatures. Kristina didn't feel as beautiful as her sister. She wasn't as smart as Nik. She wasn't as kind or funny as Dante. She didn't have her mother's composure, or her father's business savvy. And she was probably Helena's greatest disappointment. She was the odd one out, even though she knew her family never meant for her to feel that way (well, maybe her grandmother did). But that was just her role in the family.

She was already eighteen, and Helena had expected her to grow into her potential by now. But Kristina was more interested in fashion than any of the family businesses. It was highly impractical for her grandmother's purposes. After all, the sole product of the Corinthos-Cassadine Empire was expected to be greater than the Second Coming. But all they got was Kristina.

Kristina felt the pressure from her family. She just couldn't muster up enough energy to care. Besides, her father told her numerous times to do what she felt was right in her heart, and then her own personal success would follow. _Screw the family_, he'd joked. She of course knew that he meant in the sense of living up to all of their expectations; other than that, family was always first in his book.

Her mother, on the other hand, constantly tried to subtly nudge her in the "right" direction, i.e. law school. But Kristina adamantly reminded her mother that if she decided that college was the right path for her (Alexis cringed every time she heard that "if"), there was about a point-one chance of her pursuing a law degree. Helena always made it a point to get a dig in at Alexis for not being able to control "that girl."

Kristina sighed, switching to tapping the toe of her "appropriate" black heeled shoes against the bar. She always got all introspective and self-deprecating when she was left alone too long with her thoughts.

She huffed again, becoming annoyed with how boring this stupid party was. She looked over to Nikolas again, testing if she had that same freaky psychic connection with him that Sam did, pleading with him to turn her way. It didn't work. At least _he_ was having a good time. She glanced Dante's way, not even bothering to get his attention, seeing that he was busy giving some girl his signature puppy dog eyes. Where was Sam? If she knew that Kristina was all alone, she would be by her baby sister's side in an instant.

Kristina groaned. She never felt so much like a child before. Everyone else was off hobnobbing with the other adults, and here she was left, alone at the kids' table. Great.

"Excuse me."

Kristina looked up to her left, and was immediately wonderstruck. Who was this tall, handsome devil, and why was he talking to her? _Was_ he taking to her? She quickly looked around to check. No one else there.

"Huh?" she said intelligently.

"Would you mind if I sat here?" He pointed to the seat beside her. It wasn't lost on her that there were at least five other unoccupied seats he could have chosen. Awesome.

"No, I wouldn't mind at all."

The corner of his mouth quirked, and Kristina put a hand on each side of her seat in order to stay upright in the high armless chair.

"I'm Kristina."

"Ethan. It's nice to meet you, love."

Her eyes widened. This was seriously one of her greatest fantasies come to life. Tall? Check. Hot? No doubt. His dark hair was wavy and almost reached his shoulders. _And_ he had an accent?! Kristina was a mess inside. She knew that she was smiling like a fool, and tried to hide it as she started to blush.

"I've never seen you at one of these things before," she said, trying to stay casual.

"I'm usually not. It's my first time. I came with a...friend. Just wanted to see what all the hype was about."

"Oh, it's nothing, really. Just a bunch of rich people talking about how they can get richer, or how much richer they've gotten since they've seen each other. Spouting crap about their perfect families and new midlife crisis sports cars and...you get the point."

Ethan laughed, and she struggled to keep her face neutral. "I take it you've been to a few of these yourself?"

"Only in the past couple of years, since I've become 'presentable,' but I was practically forced. But I think I found an out."

"And what's that?"

"I'm not going away to college this fall."

Ethan's brows raised. "And if you don't go to college, they kick you out?"

"Sort of. I become a lot less desirable to these people, and my family wouldn't want to be subjected to that kind of embarrassment. See? Problem solved."

"Hmm."

Kristina waited for him to say something, but the five-second wait was unbearable for her.

"So who'd you come with?"

"Um, my uh, my sister."

Kristina skeptically raised an eyebrow. "Really? Your _sister_? Sure you did."

"Really, I'm here with my sister, Robin. Though I've barely seen her since we've gotten here."

Kristina heard a bit of sadness in his voice. She wanted to ask him more about it, but whatever it was sounded like a drag.

"I'm here with my _entire_ family. My brother, sister, cousin, parents, even my grandmother."

"You all travel in a pack often?"

"Only when the publicity calls for it."

This time, Kristina could hear the emotions in her own voice. She cleared her throat.

"How old are you? I think the average age for the guests tonight is about forty-five."

"I'm twenty-three," he chuckled. "You?"

"Don't worry, I'm legal enough. I just turned eighteen."

Kristina laughed when his eyes bugged.

"I like you," she stated.

"Um, I...like you too?"

She sighed. Great, she'd scared the boy off. "Sorry. Sometimes I don't think before I speak. I do like you, though. This is the most fun I've had all night, especially since my date ditched me."

"Don't worry about it. I enjoy bold women. And whoever your date was, he's a complete idiot."

"Yeah, I know. I tell him that all the time. But that's what little sisters are for, I suppose."

Ethan frowned in confusion. "My brother, Dante, escorted me tonight," she clarified. "Anyone else would have had to go through my father's intense and inappropriate screening process, and most guys can't deal with that."

Ethan smiled at her again. "To go out with you? Then they definitely aren't worth your time anyway."

Kristina tried to think back on her limited experience; was he flirting with her? There was a sure way to find out...

"Are you flirting with me?"

Ethan's eyes widened again. My, she _was_ bold, and he _did_ like it.

"I thought so, but now that you're asking I'm thinking I should up my game."

"No, no. You're doing just fine. I just...not too many guys flirt with me."

"I'm sure they do. Maybe you just don't realize it."

Kristina thought a moment. It wasn't a completely ridiculous idea; she was a little sheltered by all the men in her life.

"Maybe."

"Or maybe they're just intimidated by such a beautiful woman."

She frowned. Beautiful? No, her mother and her sister were beautiful. Even Helena was beautiful in a distinguished old lady kind of way, but not Kristina. She'd always gotten cute and pretty and _adorable_.

"You think I'm beautiful?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: If You Knew**

_I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you..._

"You think I'm beautiful?"

If Ethan Lovett had been speaking to any other woman, he might have thought that she was just fishing for more compliments. But Kristina seemed surprisingly genuine.

"Of course. Anyone would."

Kristina still looked at him as if she didn't believe him. Nevertheless, she thanked him before turning to the bar and placing her hands in front of her.

"What? Has no one ever told you you're beautiful before? Because you are."

She looked at him again, her eyes shining brighter than before. "No," she answered quietly. She glanced down for a moment as a smile found its way to her face. Kristina was beaming once she tilted her head back up. "Thank you," she said again, only this time Ethan could hear much more emotion in her voice.

"You never have to thank me for being honest, love."

He saw a bit of red crawl across her cheeks, but she held his gaze.

"That seems to imply that we'll have future conversations. Is that what you're saying?"

Ethan laughed as she returned to the brazen young woman he met only minutes ago.

"I suppose it does. If you wouldn't mind, of course."

"Are you kidding?" she practically shouted, before clasping a hand over her mouth. "Sorry."

"No worries. Can I take that to mean you would like to talk to me more?"

"I think you're the kind of guy a girl could talk to forever. Not that _I'm_ that girl," she quickly amended. "Just that—yes, I would like to talk to you again after today."

Ethan smiled at this woman in front of him. She was something else, in the best possible way. Certainly she was different than any of the other women he may have dated before, or even simply met.

"Kristina."

A cold voice interrupted the couple. Kristina rolled her eyes but did not turn to the voice. "Yes, Grandmother?" she asked just as coldly with an icy fake smile.

"I've been looking for you. I would like to introduce you to a young gentleman. He's in his final year of Harvard Law School. He was just telling me how he was looking forward to settling down, finding someone who understands the demands of being married to a lawyer without being in the office herself. I told him that I knew just the person. I figured, if you were so bent on throwing away your chances at becoming a lawyer, you may as well marry one. After all, you can't live off the money from your parents forever. Perhaps you'll fair better as a housewife than a businesswoman. Come now, dear."

Kristina's grandmother turned on her heel, never once bothering to acknowledge Ethan's presence despite him having obviously been in a conversation with her granddaughter. He turned to gauge Kristina's reaction, to see if she was as incredulous as he was.

The woman he found now was deflated, and it reminded him for a moment of how fragile she appeared when she asked if he really thought she was beautiful. Her smile was gone once again, her eyes glistened, and her posture sagged a little as she watched her grandmother leave, expecting her to follow.

Before Ethan could even figure out what to say, Kristina had taken a deep breath and lifted her carriage with a resolved confidence. She stepped down from her seat and began to follow the old witch. Ethan caught her arm, unwilling to let her go just like that. Kristina quickly looked at his hand on her with wide eyes, almost as if she'd forgotten he was even there. Her eyes softened and she gave a weak smile apologetically. "I'll find you before I leave," she said softly.

"Kristina—"

"I won't leave without seeing you again. I promise." She gently pulled her arm away from him and continued to follow hurriedly after her grandmother.

Ethan stood with his arm in midair for a long moment, sufficiently stunned. As he tried to figure out what exactly just happened, he slowly returned to his chair. When he sat, he got this awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. What if he didn't see her again? He didn't even have the chance to get her phone number. She said she'd be back, and he wanted to rely on her promise. But his heartbeat quickened at the thought that he would never see her again.

It was ludicrous. He literally _just_ met her. Why should he even feel like this? Why did he want to go rescue her from that dragon lady and a possible arranged marriage, when he didn't even know her last name?

It was her smile. Or her eyes. Her voice. _Damnit_. It was just...her. And now he wasn't sure she would ever know how she had enchanted him. There was this feeling for her that he never experienced before, of needing to entertain, to please...love her? He wasn't sure; he had never been a big believer in love at first sight. But something about her restless spirit called to him, so he approached the lonely girl. She was on the outskirts, just like him. And few people would believe it by just looking, but Ethan Lovett didn't have much experience with women, or people in general. Sure, he knew how to read them, how to play them if necessary, but he never really got to know them. The only real connection he'd made in his twenty years of existence was with the man who raised him like his own, and his mother Holly, but their relationship wasn't the most stable seeing as how she was always off to this or that part of the world doing who knows what, leaving Ethan with his stepfather. He never had any real friends, let alone girlfriends. He was more of a lone adventurer. He only ever desperately wanted to forge some kind of connection with someone when he found out about Robin. But now, he felt an unexplainable desperate pull towards Kristina. All he knew is that he wished to tell her every day that she was beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, striking, remarkable, and a million other things he had discovered in their short time together.

Ethan thought back to when he first saw her; she looked so impatient, just waiting for something, _anything_ to happen. It was how he always felt, just ready for the next big thing life would bring. He thought back to that moment, and how he was curious about whether the curls at the nape of her neck felt as soft as they looked.

He needed to see her again. He would stalk every possible exit as to not miss her on the way out. He ran his hands through his hair and pulled slightly at the crazy thoughts his mind was forming.

"Ethan?"

The timid voice of his sister provided a much needed distraction.

"Are you okay?"

He turned to her, noticing the man beside her, who he was sure he saw her storming away from earlier.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?" He eyed the tall man again.

He may not have been Robin's brother for long, but he still felt a need to protect her, even if it made her uncomfortable.

"Me?" She was the way Ethan was appraising her companion. "Oh, yes. I'm okay. I just, you seem really upset, and I'm sorry about earlier. Ethan, I'm sorry for the way I've been acting since you got here."

"It's alright, Robin. It's already forgotten."

"No, it's not alright. It's recently come to my attention that I can be a real jerk, and I know that I have been with you especially. And that's so wrong. It's bad enough when I go out of my way to be rude to strangers, but you're my family. You're my brother, and I should start treating you like it."

Ethan listened to her skeptically, and watched the guy next to her watch Robin with a proud smile. It was hard to believe that his sister was suddenly willing to know him better, let alone talk to him. But it was what he'd been hoping for. It was the only reason he came to the states. Their father Robert had gone off to God knows where a little while after the big reveal, and Ethan didn't mind. He had a great father growing up; he wasn't really interested in recasting that role. But he never had siblings, so he was eager to spend time with Robin. It was obvious that she was reluctant to do the same but she agreed to try, mostly out of courtesy, he'd guessed. When he got to Port Charles, Robin's cousins Maxie and Georgie were much more willing to welcome him as family, and so was Robert's brother Mac. For the most part, Robin plastered on a smile and exchanged pleasantries with him. He couldn't have expected her to accept a brother out of nowhere overnight. After all, she had been her parents' only child as far as he knew. He knew that it wasn't easy on her at all. So he tried to be understanding and patient.

"It's alright, Robin. I get it. Really, I do. It's hard for me to welcome new people in my life, too. It's a trust thing, I guess."

But then, why had he been so quick to trust and accept Kristina, he wondered.

"Really?" Robin asked hopefully.

Ethan nodded. "I know it's difficult. We can be siblings soon enough. Right now, I'd settle for being your friend."

Robin looked at her little brother in what seemed to him to be awe. "Well then, let me introduce you to my other new friend, Patrick. Patrick, this is Ethan."

"Nice to meet you mate," Ethan said as he shook Patrick's hand.

"Same here." Robin and Patrick took seats next to him, Robin choosing the closer seat.

"So," she started, "now that we're all friends, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," Ethan said as Patrick looked at him knowingly.

"Who was the girl?"

_**Throwing a little Skate your way next**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Lingering Question**

_The lingering question kept me up. 2 a.m., who do you love? I wonder 'til I'm wide awake..._

Kate admired the elegantly dressed people surrounding the ballroom. Every time she was invited to an event like this, she relished in how far she'd come. Who would have thought that little Constanza Louise Falconeri would be rubbing elbows with the most esteemed wealthy patrons of New York? Or that she'd be one of them?

Of course, little Connie didn't exist here. Everyone in the room knew her as Katherine Hardwicke Howard. And her presence in this room was as big as her name. She walked tall and erect—shoulders back, chin high. If someone didn't know her, they at least knew that she was someone _important_. And that was the type of success she'd always longed for. Now that she had it, the power was unstoppable. She felt it, to her very core, and she exuded it back to the world.

Kate Howard was the editor-in-chief at the highly regarded fashion magazine, _Crimson_, not to mention a co-owner of a chain of elite hotels and founder of a party organizing company. Kate Howard was living the dream.

"Miss Howard?" the annoyingly pitched voice sent a shiver down Kate's back.

"What is it, Maxie?"

She looked at her first assistant at _Crimson_, Maxie Jones, as dismissively as she always did, and didn't even bother to look at her second assistant, Leslie Spencer, who stood at Maxie's side.

"Um, we just wanted to see if there was anything else you needed from us before we went off to enjoy the party."

"I'm sorry, before you did _what_?"

Lulu stayed silent as Maxie rephrased her statement.

"Oh, you know, before we go spreading the good word about _Crimson_, sparking people's interest and the like."

"Right," Kate answered curtly. When the girls did or said nothing more, Kate tilted her head at them. "Well? Go!"

Maxie and Lulu nodded before scurrying away. Kate really did hate dealing with those two. Unfortunately, they were the most competent employees she could find. She looked after them to make sure they were truly out doing her bidding, when a broad-shouldered young man approached the two. He was obviously flirting with one of them, and Kate began to seethe as she followed after them. Those two could turn into mush at the sight of a man. As she neared the blondes however, she got a closer look at the man with them. He looked so familiar. Too familiar. That dark slightly curled hair, those playful brown eyes, his big smile and equally booming laugh at something Lulu said. He was a perfect mix of his parents.

Kate Howard quickly changed her path, her heart racing as she held her breath in search of a place to think. When she made it to the ladies' room, she was grateful that no one else was inside. She gripped one of the sinks and stared at her reflection in the mirror above it.

Kate Howard didn't cry. She stopped doing that once she stopped being weak. Connie Falconeri was weak. And she wasn't her.

Seeing that boy—God, he's a man now—sent Kate reeling backwards. She had escaped that life. She made sure she would have no reminders of it. Turns out, New York isn't as big as she thought.

_Bensonhurst, New York, 1977_

_Connie and her cousin and best friend, Olivia, walked side-by-side down the street of the old neighborhood. They were laughing about some kid who was trying really hard to find the courage to ask Connie out. She felt bad about it initially, because she would have never been that brave._

_Of the two cousins, Liv was definitely the more boisterous. She would tell you everything on her mind and didn't care if you wanted to hear it or not. And she was tougher. With her big mouth and unexpected brawn, the fifteen-year-old had started and finished quite a few fights in her short life. _

_On that summer day on that very sidewalk, is where they met the love of their lives. Of course back then, they mostly just thought he was cute. He saw the girls from across the street, and the dimpled kid ran over to them. Their lives would be changed forever because of Sonny Corinthos._

_Everybody in the neighborhood knew who he was; his family was like the richest people most of them ever met. Despite the fact that the Corinthos family had been part of the town since before it was even named, the older folks speculated that the only reason they stayed in Bensonhurst was to rub their wealth in everyone else's face. That didn't matter to Connie or Olivia, though. They fell for his smile._

_Sonny would stop them whenever he saw them, teasing Connie and flirting with Liv with expertise beyond his sixteen years. And the cousins blushed and rolled their eyes accordingly. There was an unspoken agreement between the two of them that they both wanted him. Their silent competition caused some tension between them and sometimes the clueless Sonny, but they were still as close as sisters. So when Sonny started officially dating Olivia, Connie bowed out gracefully. _

_Fall, 1979_

_Connie was a good Catholic girl. Olivia and Sonny would tease her about constantly being on her knees praying. But it was true. One day, a little time after her great-aunt Sophia died, Sonny found her in the otherwise empty church lighting a candle. She was surprised to see him there given all of his wisecracking, but he assured her that he knew how to pray, and that day he needed a little prayer. So Connie lit a candle with him and sat with him in silence. When she looked at him and saw tears down his cheeks, she said nothing. She held his hand for almost an hour while they sat, until he let go and thanked her, offering to walk her home._

_Sonny never did tell her what upset him so much that day, but over the following weeks, she noticed that he didn't tease her so much like she was his little sister. He tried to include her in outings with Olivia, and even hung out with her on his own. That's when those feelings for him that she thought she'd gotten over so long ago came back to the surface. It didn't help that he smiled at her the way he did. But she was a loyal person, and she would never act on those feelings. Betraying family was the last thing she ever wanted to do._

_The first time Sonny kissed her, he'd just broken up with Olivia for the third time. It was for good, he'd said. Still, Connie slapped him with equal passion shortly after his lips left hers. He tried to explain that he and Olivia would never work because he was in love with Connie, that he always wanted her. She was furious that he never said anything about it before he was in so deep with her cousin and that he had the gall to do it now. But he was so charming and convincing, telling her that Liv would understand and forgive them. Connie wasn't so sure, but she told Sonny that if he talked to Olivia about the possibility of them getting together—without letting on that she had any idea about this because Liv scared the crap out of her sometimes—and if by the grace of God she gave her approval, she would consider it. It was a very long shot, but Sonny was up for the challenge. It thrilled Connie to know how much he wanted her, but she kept her hopes low; could she really go through with it?_

_That night, Olivia confided in her favorite cousin that she was about three months pregnant, and Connie had her answer. She told Liv to go to tell Sonny and demand that he make an honest woman out of her. Olivia told her that she loved Sonny, but she wasn't in love with him; she didn't want to marry him. Connie told her to think about the baby; Liv called Sonny that night. He came over first thing in the morning. Liv asked Connie to be there for emotional support, so when he walked in and saw them—hands held, Liv wiping away tears—he thought that Connie decided to tell her. But when the blonde gravely told him to have a seat, he listened as Olivia gave him the true news. _

_Connie's heart broke in a million ways that day, for her cousin and Sonny, for herself. But she stayed by Liv's side, through telling her mother, to the doctor's appointments, to the church wedding. She watched her cousin blossom with the child of the boy she couldn't have. She was more Olivia's husband than Sonny was, even though the young Mrs. Corinthos had moved into his family home. Sonny's single father provided financial support, and Sonny played his role. He talked to Liv's stomach, and he made sure everything was ready for the baby. He must have been terrified, but he was taking it in stride. He was doing everything he was supposed to. But Connie would still catch him watching her longingly, and she felt that same pang. Nothing would ever come of it, though sometimes she would fantasize about being in Olivia's shoes, having a child she loved with the man she loved. She considered her thoughts sinful, and tried to pray them away as much as possible._

_The late winter night Dante Corinthos was born, his mother died. Sonny was confused; what was he supposed to do now? Connie was devastated. She never even saw the baby. She didn't want to. It was her fault. They say to be careful what you wish for, and she wasn't. A world without Olivia didn't make sense to her. She had been waiting anxiously in the waiting room with the rest of Dante's family when the doctor told them the news after telling Olivia's mother and Sonny privately. She didn't remember how she got home, but she stayed in bed crying for days after, until her mother dragged her out of bed and forced her to go to school. _

_Everywhere Connie went held a memory with Olivia, and she was dying to get out of there. So she worked hard, ignored Sonny once he started back at school, she worked at the bakery, and kept her head down. She graduated high school at the top of her class. She got accepted to Princeton. She was ready to get the hell out of there._

_At graduation, after walking across the stage, Sonny pulled her aside before she could get to her family. He looked different to her. Tired, and sad. He stared at her forever before congratulating her. He asked if she wanted to see Dante; his dad had brought him. She said no. He asked what schools a genius like her got accepted to. Too many to remember off the top of her head, she told him. Her answers made him even sadder. _

"_Will you stay?" he finally asked._

_She knew that he was probably aware of her plan to run away. He knew her too well. Could she stay? It hurt to be everywhere Olivia wasn't, and there weren't a whole lot of options for her future here. She couldn't be with Sonny, not with the guilt she carried, and she certainly couldn't be around her cousin's son, a constant reminder that she was gone._

"_For me?" His voice broke, and his miserable-looking eyes broke her heart, and for a moment he had her again. Could she give it all up, handle a life with him?_

_The moment was broken by a piercing cry. Sonny instinctively turned to the familiar sound, and Connie had an answer. She left before he could return to her, stating her decision. She never saw Sonny after that day._

_She moved out of Bensonhurst. She went to Princeton and worked hard every day to maintain her full scholarship. She worked her way up to editor at the magazine _Couture, _and changed her name to Katherine Hardwicke Howard. She had no contact with the world she left behind, except for letters her mother or aunts would send her, often with pictures. In a few of them, she saw a little boy playing with the other kids or sitting on Olivia's mother's lap. She thought of asking who he was, but she already knew. A confirmation wouldn't matter. She asked her relatives to stop sending her pictures._

She looked at herself in the mirror, watched as that coward Connie Falconeri reappeared. Kate Howard knew two things: business, and fashion. Kate Howard didn't know anything about family or love or loyalty.

Kate Howard didn't cry. It was foreign to her. But when she saw that kid just then, she remembered those pictures. She felt again what she felt back then: shame. She left behind to only piece she had of Olivia, and never looked back. She left her heart in Bensonhurst.

She lifted her hand to her face to wipe away a stray tear. Connie Falconeri knew a thing or two about crying.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Wishing You**

_Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door. I'd open up and you would say..._

Sonny didn't want a lot of things. He wanted his family safe, healthy, and happy. And for himself? Well, he didn't really think of that anymore. He spent most of his days just going through the motions, going to the office, checking in on his children, having meals with his wife and mother-in-law. He didn't mind it all too much.

He loved Alexis. He may not have when they first met, but he learned to respect and care for her over the years, especially after she gave birth to their daughter Kristina. And he loved her the most for that. Dante was his pride and joy, Krissy was his angel, and he couldn't love Sam and Nik any more than if they were his own. One thing he always wanted Dante to have was siblings. He never had any and was convinced that he missed out. He never expected things to turn out the way they did. When he met attorney Alexis Cassadine, the initial reaction was recoil. She was about as lively as a corpse, and she didn't seem to find any interest in him. But they were both fierce in their business dealings, and this was all about business. Alexis's mother, Helena, came up with the idea of marriage to seal the deal, and Sonny was rightfully reluctant. But he knew that she also had a child, so he decided to use that as an ice breaker. And man, could she talk about her daughter. That really helped Sonny to picture a future with this woman, who only smiled when she talked about her daughter and nephew, who she obviously loved like a son. They were around Dante's age, so that soothed his mind some. When Sonny met Sam and Nik, they were Stepford-child perfect, and Dante didn't get along with them at all. But Sonny helped them learn to accept each other by taking them out and teaching them how to enjoy life the way the other kid did. They were still so different, but they grew to like each other and soon became inseparable the way little kids do.

Sonny and Alexis got married, and soon conceived Kristina. They raised their children pretty well, despite Helena's controlling ways. Having more free time than Alexis usually, Sonny attended concerts and recitals and plays and mini-graduations for all four of the kids. Alexis was dutifully at his side for every company picnic, charity event, and holiday meals where they served as the hosts. In return, he accompanied her to judges' balls and ridiculous made-up causes where the sole purpose was to brag about oneself, like tonight for the Quartermaine's ball. The kids—none of them really kids anymore—had since gone their separate ways, and Helena left in search of a husband for Kristina. He wasn't having that argument with her anymore—she would have nothing to do with Kristina's life as much as he could manage it—he would just let her think her final word was law for now. He knew his daughter was as outspoken as he was, but she tended to get lost in Helena's world sometimes. Still, he knew that Krissy could fight her own battles, and he would be there for backup. He wished he could say the same about Alexis having Kristina's back, but he knew that she was Helena's most prized puppet. He also knew that after years of Helena's antics and abuse, Alexis learned not to fight the current anymore.

When Sam was in high school, she came to him and Alexis crying because Helena had forbidden her from going to a Sadie Hawkins dance. She explained to them that her grandmother had somehow heard that she was making out with a boy from the brother high school to her all-girls prep school, even though she insisted that she wasn't. She begged Alexis to give her permission to go, but Alexis just said that Helena knew what was best, so Sam couldn't go. The disbelief in the teenager's eyes wrenched Sonny's heart, but she wiped her tears and left the room. He didn't think he ever heard Sam ask her mother for anything else after that day. This was a few years into their marriage, and Sonny still couldn't understand how Alexis could do things like that. He was so disappointed.

Alexis was the only mother that Dante knew, and he was always respectful to her. Alexis didn't know anything about raising a teenage boy, but Sonny thought that she really tried. But he couldn't help but wonder how Olivia would have done things differently. One day, when Alexis was pregnant with Kristina, he asked her why she never asked about Dante's mother. She said it was because he never asked about Sam's father, which she didn't mind. All he knew was that Alexis was a teen parent, too, and that the father was never around. When he found the courage to question her about him, she took a deep breath and reluctantly gave him the facts. She told him how she met this guy from a neighboring all-boys school when their schools had a combined dance. She thought he was so cool because he smoked and he had an accent. After that dance she would show up at the local after-school hangout. He didn't talk much, except to her. He made her feel special, because nobody ever looked at her. They started dating secretly because she wasn't allowed to. She fell in love with him, she thought. Their relationship escalated quickly, and she wasn't too careful and got pregnant. When she told her boyfriend, he was scared but promised to be there for her no matter what. She was terrified to get an abortion, and even more scared to tell her parents, so she hid her pregnancy for months. Her mother didn't find out until Alexis thought she was having contractions and started yelling for help. Helena was beyond furious and demanded to know who the boy was. Alexis wasn't going to tell her, but he showed up at the hospital worried for her and the baby. Helena took Alexis home that night, not allowing her to be alone with the father. Alexis never saw or heard from him after that. She knew that her parents had something to do with that. She fought for information, but everyone kept their mouths shut. But that wasn't the only battle she was fighting at the time; Helena and Mikkos started talking about sending the baby away before people started to talk. They'd already taken her out of school under the guise of studying abroad. When Alexis learned that they wanted to take her baby away, she stood up to her parents. She threatened to leave their home and make her affliction public knowledge if they did this to her. Fortunately, Mikkos had a soft spot for his only daughter, and he agreed to let Alexis keep her child, as long as she continued with her education and future career. With that understanding, Alexis was able to give birth to and raise a healthy little girl. She tried to find Sam's father, but her parents had made it impossible. They also took it upon themselves to raise Samantha the way they felt was suitable. Still a student and with no real money of her own or a place to go, Alexis had to concede to her parents' rules. She said that she wished she'd been stronger for Sam and gotten the hell out of there. But she did love her family, and their way of life was all she really knew.

That revealed so much to Sonny. He could understand that Alexis's spirit had been broken by her parents at a young age. He decided then that when Alexis couldn't find it in her to fight for her daughters, he would. He made sure to treat Sam the same as he did Kristina, to let her know that someone was always looking out for her. He also made sure that Dante and Nikolas knew to watch after the girls too. Sam didn't like being looked after like that, though, even as a kid. She was overprotective of her family and as rowdy as Dante at times. She reminded him a bit of Dante's mom, Olivia. She was spunky, and he really appreciated that, especially since it turned out that Kristina was more of a princess, which he also loved.

He was only mildly concerned about Kristina's decision to discontinue her education after graduating high school. His little girl may have been a bit impulsive, but she always managed to land on her feet. She might never be as book smart as her sister, but she was streetwise like Dante. He wouldn't be surprised to learn that she'd gotten herself into and out of trouble many times without her parents ever being the wiser. From what he could see, Kristina was happy most of the time. She could be a brat sometimes, but she was also generous and caring. She wasn't as carefree as Dante, who didn't really give a damn about what anyone—except maybe his siblings—ever thought of him, but she was definitely happier than Sam and Nik. Sonny felt sorry for them sometimes, as they tried to live up to Helena's standards and earn her approval. He was glad that he didn't have to grow up that way. His grandfather came into a lot of money in the automobile industry, so his father Mike and subsequently Sonny grew up with money. The only differences between his childhood and Alexis's were that his dad never flashed their money and he made Sonny earn almost all of the money he ever spent. The only time he needed to rely on his father for financial support was in Dante's first few years. But once Sonny graduated college, he was on his own again.

It wasn't easy raising a son alone, especially when the boy got old enough to consciously voice his need for a mother. Sonny never dated after Dante's biological mother Olivia died. There was only one woman he would consider dating, but she didn't want him. He felt lousy for falling for his girlfriend's closest cousin, but he couldn't control his feelings for Connie. Right before he found out that Olivia was pregnant, he thought he actually had a chance with her, but then reality set in. So he raised his son, focused on his business, and wound up married to his best friend and raising their kids together. Sonny got the feeling that Dante, Sam, and Nik thought that he and Alexis didn't love each other, but that was far from the truth. Over the years, they kept finding more and more things that they had in common; they had the same senses of humor, family, and work ethic. They got along great. They just weren't _in love_ with each other. Their great loves had long passed them by, so they were content to stay by each other's side. They were still intimate and loyal to each other, but they knew that the kids didn't believe that their marriage was rooted in love.

Still, they were a united front, so when Alexis had so adamantly pushed the Quartermaine's ball on him—much to Helena's pleasure—he wouldn't deny her. Formal gatherings weren't something Sonny looked forward to, but tonight wasn't turning out to be so bad. For starters, Helena quickly left him and Alexis, which lightened his mood loads. He saw his children start to scurry off and enjoy themselves. For most of the evening he stayed with Alexis, who seemed unusually distracted. When she excused herself from his side, his eyes followed after her with a tinge of envy as she left him with a group of fellow entrepreneurs.

"So," Jasper Jacks was telling him, "she seemed like she would be a perfectly suitable business partner. I'm more the face of the hotels than she is—better at public speaking, I suppose. But the arrangement has been beneficial for the both of us, and we can still manage our own separate businesses and—oh, here she is now. Kate!" the blonde man called, looking somewhere behind Sonny.

"Jax, I haven't seen you all night!" a woman cooed. Sonny's heart quickened its beating. When the woman walked around him to get to Jacks, he was almost certain that he knew this woman. From behind, all he saw was her wavy blonde hair almost down to the middle of her back, leading his eyes in the direction of her other assets, accentuated by a pair of black stilettos. The purple dress she wore that stopped a little above her knees fit her perfectly.

"I was just telling these fine gentlemen about you. Allow me to introduce you all to Miss Kate Howard."

The name and the face didn't match, but Sonny put on a poker face after a moment of sheer shock. Connie's smile faltered when she turned around and saw the boy she left in Bensonhurst decades ago. She took a little longer than Sonny to regain her composure and place a smile on her face. Jax introduced her to all the men and she shook their hands accordingly. Lastly he said, "And this is Sonny Corinthos. I'm sure you've heard of him."

Kate hesitantly reached for Sonny's hand as she saw the questions roaming through his mind. When they touched, they were thrown back to their teenage years. She first smiled fondly as she remembered her first love, then sadly as she remembered running away from him.

Sonny had a million things he wanted to say to her. Maybe in a different life he would have. When she gave him that dearly missed smile, he could picture himself taking her in his arms and having her to himself, once and for all. But that was just a fantasy.

They only held hands for about a second longer than a normal handshake might take, but they'd shared an entire conversation.

"Kate?" Sonny asked, testing out her new name.

She nodded tight-lipped.

"Oh, Sonny. You were saying that Kristina was interested in fashion. Kate happens to own a fashion magazine."

"Is that right?" he asked her.

"Well I...no, I don't. I don't own it, I just run it. Um, Kristina?" she questioned.

"Yes. My daughter. She isn't really interested in the law school thing like her mother. But she just graduated high school and she seems to be really serious about getting into fashion."

Sonny wasn't telling her about his new family to hurt her, and she knew that. He was just letting her know how his life turned out.

"Well if she's really serious about it, I wouldn't mind talking to her and helping her get started somewhere in the business. Actually, I have a card with me."

Kate dug in her purse through the different business cards to find the right one. She pulled out the _Crimson_ card and held it out.

"Please, have her give me a call or shoot me an e-mail to set up an appointment. I'd really like to meet her."

Sonny took the card from her hand, careful not to touch her fingers again.

"I'll do that."

Kate smiled at him once more before telling everyone that it was nice to meet them but that she had to go mingle and excused herself.

Sonny looked down at the card and flipped it between his fingers. "Katherine Hardwicke Howard," it read. _What a name_, Sonny thought. He chuckled to himself. How things had changed...

He had the residual desire to run after Connie, except that she wasn't Connie anymore. Their lives diverged years ago, but for some reason they reconnected tonight. He believed that it was to set them both at peace, to know that they hadn't made the wrong decisions when they were younger, and to know that they were where they were supposed to be. Ages ago, he realized that he wasn't meant to have Connie. Otherwise he would have had her. But obviously she had done just fine without him and he was glad for it. They both had great lives now, and that's all he could really ask for.

Kate didn't look back as she walked away from Sonny. She just knew that he wouldn't be looking for her as she eased back into the crowd. She wasn't sure how she felt about the situation. On one hand, it was good to see Sonny doing well, but there were still so many things that she wanted to ask him. For now, though, she could deal with not knowing everything about Sonny's life. He seemed happy, didn't he? On her way to the bar, she passed her assistant Lulu with that boy—_man_—Dante. She couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but the way he had his head cocked and one eyebrow raised, he could only be his mother's son.

She hastily found a secluded hallway and pulled out her phone. She called the first number on her speed-dial, and waited somewhat impatiently for him to pick up. After the fifth ring she was about to give up when she heard a breathless voice answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby. I was...just thinking about you, wanted to see how you're doing."

He chuckled, used to her worrying. "I'm fine. How's your snooty party?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "It's not snooty. It's fine."

"Not much fun though, huh? Otherwise you wouldn't be calling me while I'm at the gym."

"Oh, shoot I forgot. I'm sorry. I can let you go if y—"

"Nah, it's cool. I can talk. Do you need to use me as an excuse to get out of there?"

She sighed, seriously considering it for a moment. "No, I'd better stay. It wouldn't look too good if I left the party so soon. I haven't even eaten yet"

"Well if you say so."

After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just thinking. I saw somebody from the old neighborhood tonight."

"Somebody from Bensonhurst? Really? What are the odds?"

"Yeah. Saw a couple of them, actually."

"And how was it?"

"It was...yeah, it was good."

"Hmm. You know, you said 'yeah' about ten times already. How many times have you scolded me for doing that? Careful, Mom. You Bensonhurst is starting to show."

Kate laughed indulgently. "Whatever, kid. I guess I'll get back to the party. I just needed to talk to you."

"Alright. Hey, are you sure you're okay? You're sounding all emotional."

She cleared her throat. "What can I say? I'm an emotional person. And don't worry about me, kid. I'll be fine."

"If you say so. You can call me later if you need to, 'kay?"

"I won't need to, but thanks for giving me permission," she said sarcastically.

"Yep. Alright, I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Trey. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kate sighed wistfully. She spent years wishing that someday, Sonny would find her. She would open the door, and he would somehow just be there. But she had to move on from those dreams long ago, and she was glad that she did. If she was still holding out hope for that, she might have missed the great life she had now. And she wouldn't trade this life for anything.

**_Aww. A much deserved Kate&Trey moment, I thought. Honestly, I've always been indifferent to Sonny and Kate (may have strongly disliked Sonny at times), but these two chapters were actually my top favorite to write. And sorry it's been so long. Hopefully it won't be so much a wait. And maybe, if you're interested, kind of, a little Nook in the next part? (I shipped Nik&Brook so hard for that brief moment of time they had on the show.) Okay, I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you think._**


End file.
